THE WORDCRAFT DEFINITION DICTIONARY
iconoclast
noun
A person who challenges cherished beliefs or established conventions.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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Usage note
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Examples in context
The iconoclast questioned a rule that no one else dared discuss.
She became known as an iconoclast in the conservative academy.
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The iconoclast family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
iconoclasticadjective
Challenging established beliefs, traditions, or admired institutions.
The iconoclastic designer questioned every familiar convention.
One idiosyncrasy of Niko's design notebooks was that every project began with a question written upside down at the bottom of the page. Colleagues found the habit eccentric, though he said it reminded him to turn the first assumption around before drawing. His iconoclastic proposal for a gallery guide challenged the familiar practice of placing a confident interpretation beside every work.
About this entry
This entry is part of the vocabulary collection supplied by GlobalRPh. Definitions are concise study meanings. Examples combine original teaching sentences with selected passages adapted from the supplied study notes; their source is labeled beside each example. A word may have additional specialized or historical senses.
Term requested in the October 5, 2026 supplied word list. Definition, alternatives and examples authored for WordCraft; WordNet senses and targeted dictionary checks inform the lexical review.
Source study sections: October 2026 additions.
Alternatives apply to the displayed meaning. Related wording may differ in tone or grammar and is not always interchangeable.
Dictionary scope and sources